Fashion Photographer

There are many technical skills that an individual considering fashion photography as a career has to have. These include knowledge about lighting, awareness of fashion trends, and different styles of composition and sharpness. Fashion photographers must have good social skills because they have to interact with a large number of people while they are working.

They must also be able to translate what they envision on to photographs. Fashion photographers must also be willing to experiment with different techniques and put in a lot of hard work to make them known. Another skill set that fashion photographers must have is creativity to make their pictures stand out. Fashion photographers must also have the ability to be organized as well as have an artistic sensibility.

Fashion photographers should most importantly be able to deal with pressure.

It is the fashion photographers job to not only take the photos, but also to make sure that the photographs share the same story that the clients brand stands for and what the client wants. It is a demanding job which if they master, fame and wealth follow. Fashion photographers work both in studios as well as on location to produce the most eye catching photographs for accessories, apparel and lifestyles.

There are three different types of fashion photographers; high fashion photographers, Magazine photographers, and Mail order catalogue photographers. Although these are the three types of fashion photographers, they may also be employed by advertising agencies, fashion houses or they may be self employed.

Their work can be displayed in magazines, reports, books, hoardings, posters, and a variety of other media. A fashion photographer has to make sure that he/she builds good relationships with models so that they are relaxed during the photo shoot and can perform at their best. They should also be able to work effectively with lighting so that they can use it to enhance the aesthetics of the picture.
Fashion photographers also work in different locations, in different weathers, and at different times of the day. They should know how to best take the photo in those conditions. Fashion photographers all have a style of their own which is the main factor depending upon their success.

Most fashion photographers start their career off by becoming assistants of established photographers. This helps them gain the experience and industry knowledge first hand.

Some colleges and universities offer courses and degrees in fashion photography which prepares the students for how they would conduct themselves when they were out for a job, and the different techniques of fashion photography.
Apart from this, most fashion photographers start out by completing an apprenticeship to find out the ins and outs of the industry before they become professional fashion photographers. This gives them an edge over their competition.
Individuals considering becoming fashion photographers can also join professional associations such as the Association of Photographers (AOP).

High fashion photographers and magazine photographers tend to make more money than catalogue photographers, although catalogue photographers get a monthly salary and get to enjoy paid holidays. According to statistics, careers in photography are expected to rise by 10% in 2016. While Catalogue photographers make approximately $40,000 per year, high fashion photographers and magazine photographers make $200,000 per year.

In India, if you start off as an assistant to a senior photographer, you would be paid Rs. 36,000 – Rs. 72,000 per year. However, once you get established, then the salary would be based as per the assignments that you get; ranging between Rs. 120,000 – Rs. 360,000 per assignment.

Fashion photographers enjoy travelling on exotic vacations and spend time with beautiful models. They live a glamorous life which most people only dream of having. Fashion photographers spend their time between the on site locations and in their studios to produce their creative photographs.
There is a lot of hard work involved and sometimes the locations that a

fashion photographer

works in might not be ideal and involve them working in rain or other such situations. A

fashion photographer

also spends a lot of time using the computer, making his/her pictures come alive.

However, being a

fashion photographer

is very stressful and has a lot of pressure attached to the job title because of the tight deadlines and client expectations for the photographer to deliver. There is also a lot of physical exertion that a

fashion photographer

has to incur because of the heavy equipment that he/she has to carry. Fashion photographers also work with electrical lighting equipment, which can be dangerous to use.

The largest attraction towards becoming a fashion photographer lies in the fact that you get to travel to exotic locations and live a glamorous lifestyle. They also have a large salary because of the talent required to produce an excellent quality picture.

Fashion photographers also have the benefit of working with supermodels as well as meeting an array of people while working (makeup artists, directors, etc.). Another perk of being a fashion photographer is that the job has a lot of variety in it. Each shoot is something new, and thus ensures that there is much diversity.

One of the downsides to becoming a fashion photographer would be that there is too much travelling involved, and this does not let the individual spend much time with their family. This does not allow for there to be any or hardly any balance between a professional and a personal life.

Another disadvantage of being a fashion photographer is the conditions and hours that you have to work. Fashion photographers have to work in all types of conditions, depending upon the shoot that they are working upon, and some of these conditions may be less than pleasant.

It is very hard to enter into the fashion photography industry and thus competition is keen because of the high desirability and the perks associated with this career. There are also a lot more job seekers than there are open positions, and this fuels competition, letting only the strong and most talented succeed.

The differing styles fashion photographers have from each other is the main factor that sets them apart from their competition. Entry level positions are very rare to find and get and so there is a lot of completion for the esteemed position.

Fashion Photography is good in places like Paris, New York, Milan, Los Angeles, Montreal and Mumbai because these are the fashion hubs of the world.

Some institutes have courses in fashion photography and some hold workshops from time to time. Aspirants can also do a one-year fashion photography diploma course and then work or specialise further